Australian dollar (A$, Aud), equal to 100 cents. In circulation are banknotes in denominations of 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 dollars, coins of 1 and 2 dollars, as well as 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents.

Banks and currency exchange
Banks officially work from Monday to Friday from 09.00-09.30 to 14.00-15.00, however, outside of Tarawa, the work schedule is rather unstable.

Currency can be exchanged at Bank of Kiribati Ltd offices or local hotels. In many dive clubs and on transport, I willingly accept US dollars for payment, but in most remote atolls it is often impossible to pay with them at all. Mostly small coins are in circulation, it is often extremely difficult to exchange a 100 dollar bill, especially outside Tarawa.

Non-cash means of payment have a very limited circulation. MasterCard and Visa credit cards can only be used in Tarawa and some major hotels. ATMs are only available at Kiribati/ANZ bank branches in Betio, Bairiki and Bikinibeu (all in Tarawa Atoll). Outside of Tarawa, the use of credit cards is almost impossible – it is preferable to withdraw money from the account in advance, in the capital of the country.

Traveler’s checks are accepted at major hotels, some shops and the Bank of Kiribati Ltd in Tarawa. To avoid additional costs associated with exchange rate fluctuations, it is recommended that you carry checks in Australian dollars.